Dear readers, thank you all for you prayers-they are much appreciated, but still needed. I have interrupted my temporary absence from the blogosphere in order to post a little today. A few days ago, Fr Nicholas very kindly wrote an excellent post about the Massimo miracle. Given this, I do not intend to say anything myself on the subject, but instead treat you to the description of the miracle from Antonio Gallonio's Life of St Philip Neri (An ideal Lenten meditation, I think):
in a strange way, Paolo was called back to life through Philip's prayers. He opened his eyes, and to the amazement of everyone who was present, replied to Philip in a clear voice...Philip asked him, 'Are you ready to die, or to continue longer in this life?' He replied that he wishd to die, for he knew that he had a certain place set aside or him in heaven, to enjoy the splendour of God, the Best and the Greatest, for ever. And so, in his longing for death, as if he were entering the land of the living, he breathed forth his spirit a second time, in the sight and embrace of the holy Father; this was on the 16th March, in the year 1583
The Life of St Philip Neri, Antonio Gallonio. Translated by Jerome Bertram of the Oxford Oratory. Family Publications, Oxford. 2005.
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